A very good friend of our family was injured by an IED while serving with his Army unit in Iraq, last week. He is on hold now to fly to Ft. Cambell due to this event. Hope it is not causing any other major problems for the military...
Holly
Volcano Ash Cloud Flight Disruptions Worsen In Europe: Italy Closes Airspace
PAISLEY DODDS and SYLVIA HUI | 04/17/10 12:53 PM |
A lingering volcanic ash plume forced extended no-fly restrictions over much of Europe on Saturday, as scientists warned that activity at a volcano in Iceland had increased and showed no sign of abating – a portent of more travel chaos to come.
Scientists say that because the volcano is situated below a glacial ice cap, the magma is being cooled quickly, causing explosions and plumes of grit that can be catastrophic to plane engines if prevailing winds are right.
"The activity has been quite vigorous overnight, causing the eruption column to grow," Icelandic geologist Magnus Tumi Gudmundsson told The Associated Press on Saturday. "It's the magma mixing with the water that creates the explosivity. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be an end in sight."
An expansive cloud of grit hovered over parts of western Europe on Saturday, triggering extended flight bans that stranded people around the globe. Forecasters said light prevailing winds in Europe – and large amounts of unmelted glacial ice above the volcano – mean that the situation is unlikely to change in the coming days.
"Currently the U.K. and much of Europe is under the influence of high pressure, which means winds are relatively light and the dispersal of the cloud is slow," said Graeme Leitch, a meteorologist at Britain's National Weather Service. "We don't expect a great deal of change over the next few days."
Matthew Roberts, at the Icelandic Meteorological Office, said only about a third of the total quantity of glacial ice in the crater has melted. "There could be days' worth of water and ice mixed with the eruptive products," he told the BBC.
The ash plume was rising to about 30,000 feet (9,144 meters) with intensifying volcanic activity, Leitch said. It is possible for planes to fly over the ash cloud, he said, although it is up to individual countries to decide whether they should open higher airspace.
Aviation experts say the volcanic plume has caused the worst travel disruption Europe – and the world – has ever seen, except during wars.
"I've been flying for 40 years, but I've never seen anything like this in Europe," said Swedish pilot Axel Alegren, after landing his flight from Kabul, Afghanistan, at Munich Airport; he had been due to land at Frankfurt but was diverted.
read more here:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/0..._n_541489.html